Southampton · London and the South East
Chimney survey in Highfield, Southampton
We take a careful look at the chimney stack at your property in Highfield, and put it all in a photo-illustrated written report.
- Staining on walls around the chimney
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Signs that a stack is leaning
Chimney survey in Highfield: what you get
A chimney survey is about the outside of the stack and the roof around it. It’s not a flue inspection, a chimney sweep or a gas safety inspection. If you use a fire or a gas appliance, the flue should be checked by a sweep or a Gas Safe registered engineer as appropriate. We’ll tell you if we see anything that suggests they should take a look. If you’re worried about a chimney out of line and worn or missing pointing, a survey will tell you what’s going on, on flaunching, shared and party-wall stacks and lead flashings alike.
In a smaller place like Highfield, homes range from older cottages to bungalows and newer houses. Coverings range from slate and clay tiles on older homes to concrete tiles on many later ones. On older homes, chimney stacks, valleys and gutters are normally where the work is. The fixings under an older roof often fail before good slates or tiles do.
The report does not just list problems. It explains what we found, why it matters and what we recommend, so you can plan your next steps.
- Place
- Highfield (SO17, SO16, SO14)
- Region
- Southampton
- Cost
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- Written, with photos, emailed to you
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Insurance
- Professional indemnity and public liability
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
What we can’t see
This is not a RICS building survey, a structural engineer’s report or an asbestos survey. It also has these limits:
- Structural calculations for a leaning stack
- Parts of the stack that can’t be seen safely or belong to a neighbour we can’t access
- Whether the flue is safe to use
Not sure which survey suits your roof? You can ring 07833 053749 or use the contact form and we will tell you before booking. What a survey covers and does not.
What we check
- Shared and party-wall stacks
- Chimney pots and cowls
- Chimney breasts
- Lead flashings
- Brick chimney stacks
- Flaunching
What a chimney survey looks like in Highfield
The coast is about 3 miles or less from Highfield, so there is more wind and more salt in the air than further inland. Metal fixings and flashings corrode faster in salt air, while gales work at loose ridges, slates and tiles, and driving rain gets into whatever gap is left. With South Stoneham House about 1.1 miles north-east, Highfield sits in an area with a long building history. Period homes nearby can have lead valleys, tall chimneys and a patchwork of past repairs.
Shop and office owners around Marlands Shopping Centre may find that a roof report helps plan work around trading rather than after a leak. Take a building like Highfield Church of England Primary School: a written record of a large roof helps plan work for the holidays rather than in term time.
Highfield is about 1 mile north of Southampton, in Southampton. Highfield is one of many places we visit across Southampton, for homes and businesses alike. Across Southampton, we cover Highfield and the places around it.
Chimney surveys in SO17, SO16 and SO14 are booked the same way as anywhere else. We offer chimney surveys to properties on Winn Road, Nile Road and The Avenue and the roads around them. With the A3035 close by, Highfield is easy for us to reach for chimney surveys. If you’re just outside Highfield, we cover Bassett (1 mile north-west), Shirley (2 miles west), Lordswood (2 miles north-west), Freemantle (2 miles south-west) and Coxford (2 miles west). We also work in nearby towns like Thornhill (3 miles south-east), Harefield (3 miles east), Sholing (3 miles south-east), Woolston (3 miles south), Eling (4 miles west) and Rownhams (3 miles north-west).
Local landmarks in Highfield
Around Highfield, our work takes us to homes and buildings near Saint George Catholic Voluntary Aided College Southampton, Richard Taunton Sixth Form College and The Cowherds Inn. Highfield’s nearest station is St Denys station, roughly 0.8 miles south-east of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Royal South Hants Hospital (1.2 miles south) and Marlands Shopping Centre (1.7 miles south). Green spaces nearby include Netley Common.
Signs you need a chimney survey in Highfield
TV aerials, satellite dishes and their brackets are often fixed to chimneys. The extra load in wind can work bricks and joints loose. We check fixings on the stack as part of the survey.
These are some of the problems a survey can pick up:
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Mortar washing out of the joints
- Redundant stacks capped without ventilation
- Staining on walls around the chimney
If you live in an older home near Highfield Church, the nails, lead and mortar on the roof may be wearing out even where the slates or tiles look fine.
Before you book anyone
- How long the report takes to arrive
- Are they insured for the work?
- Whether the loft space is looked at, where there is one
- What exactly goes into their report
Prices for chimney surveys in Highfield
When we price a survey, we consider:
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
- Commercial roofs and larger buildings
- Chimneys, valleys, parapets and other details
- Whether thermal imaging or a drone is needed
A small, low roof with good viewpoints takes less time than a tall, complicated one, and the package matters as well. We will give you the figure before anything is booked.
Booking your survey
Some details help us point you to the right survey and price. When you contact us, let us know:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Access details, such as a loft hatch or a shared roof
- Why you want a survey: buying, a leak, a storm or new work
- Pictures from the garden or a window, if you have them
To arrange a survey, ring 07833 053749 or email us with the address and what you’d like to know about the roof. We’ll confirm the price before booking.
Also near Highfield
What else we do in Highfield
The survey, step by step
Safety comes first on every visit. We inspect everything that’s safely in view, and if part of the roof can’t be seen, the report says so. The survey normally takes between one and two hours at most homes, or half a day or so for a commercial building. Homes around Highfield often have gardens on more than one side, which gives us room to step back and see the roof. Let us know if any side is fenced off or hard to reach. Inside, the loft is checked where it can be reached safely.
- You tell us whether any stacks are shared, unused or leaning.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We check the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- You receive a written report setting out what needs attention first.
Getting ready for the survey
- Check we can get to the back of the property
- Leave a clear route to the loft
- For a flat or shared roof, check access with whoever owns or manages the building
Getting a price
Photos help, if you have them. Pictures from the ground or a window are fine; never climb up to get a better view. To send them or to book, call 07833 053749 or send us an email.
Related advice
Should I look at the roof myself first?
Inside, the loft is a good place to look, with care. Take a torch and only step on boards or joists, checking for stains, damp wood or chinks of daylight.
Your own check is a good start, but it isn’t a survey. From the ground, valleys, flashings and the backs of chimneys are often out of sight.
Your questions about chimney surveys in Highfield
Is the coastal weather around Highfield hard on roofs?
Yes, coastal weather is harder on roofs: there’s more wind, and more salt in the air. Exposed details such as ridges, verges, flashings and metal fixings are the ones to watch.
Do you cover smaller places like Highfield?
We do. A small place gets exactly the same survey as a big one, with the route planned beforehand.
Do I have to be there for the survey?
Someone needs to let us in if we are looking inside or in the loft. Access is agreed with you as you book.
When does the report arrive?
Each package has its own report time. Basic: within 48 hours. Standard: 24 to 48 hours. Premium: the same day. If you have a deadline, like an exchange date, let us know when booking.
How can you see the top of the stack?
We look from ground level, from windows and from the loft where it is safe. Where it applies, our Premium Survey adds a drone inspection for a closer view. The report is clear about anything that couldn’t be seen.
Do you test for asbestos?
No. We do not carry out asbestos surveys or testing. We flag materials that could contain asbestos, like cement sheets or soffits on pre-2000 buildings, and recommend a specialist asbestos surveyor checks them before they’re disturbed.
How much does a chimney survey cost in Highfield?
Chimney survey starts from £150, including VAT. The final figure depends on the roof and the package you choose, and it’s agreed before booking.
Tips from our surveys
Over many surveys, some simple habits stand out as worth the effort:
- Find out whether changes to a stack need permission
- Look at the chimneys with binoculars after a storm
- Have the flue swept and checked if you use the fire
- Keep the report to compare against at the next survey
The report is emailed to you, ready to share with a roofer or builder. Each defect is described in plain words and shown in a photo, so it is easy to follow.
Check your stacks from the street or garden after a storm. With binoculars, you can frequently see cracked flaunching or lifted lead.